Sandra L. Reynolds, Ph. D.
Gerontology/Public Policy 1996, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Associate Professor and Assistant Director for Academic Affairs - School of Aging Studies

Email: sreynold@cas.usf.edu
Telephone: 813-974-9750
Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
NIH Biosketch (pdf)

Description of Research Interests
Dr. Reynolds has had a long-standing interest in guardianship, advance directives, and legal and ethical issues in aging. She has published extensively on guardianship and advance directives, as well as trends in health. While her research interests still include legal and ethical issues in aging, particularly in the area of guardianship and financial exploitation, her recent focus on aging research relates to the impact of obesity.

Obesity has uncertain effects on mortality in older adults, but fairly clearly negative effects on physical functioning. Dr. Reynolds’ current research involves the impact of obesity on both disability and disease. For the former, Dr. Reynolds is examining differences in active life expectancy in obese and non-obese older adults. For the latter, Dr. Reynolds is working with colleagues at the USC/UCLA Biodemography Center on Aging to examine the role of obesity in the development of cognitive decline, and in biological risk factors, individually, and as a factor in allostatic load.

Publications

Black, K. B., & Reynolds, S. L. (in press).  Factors associated with advance care planning among older women in southwest Florida.  Journal of Women & Aging, forthcoming.

Reynolds, S. L., Haley, W. E., & Kozlenko, N. (2008).  The effect of depressive symptoms on active life expectancy in the presence or absence of chronic conditions.  American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, forthcoming.

Black, K. B., Reynolds, S. L., & Osman, H. (2008).  Factors associated with advance care planning among older adults in southwest Florida.  Journal of Applied Gerontology, 27(1), 93-109.

Reynolds, S. L., Haley, W. E., & Hyer, K. (2007).  Expanding gerontology enrollments: successful results of an innovative outreach program.  Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 28, 35-50.

Reynolds, S. L., & Himes, C. L. (2007).  Cohort trends in adult obesity in the U.S.: 1982-1996.  Journal of Aging and Health, 19, 831-850.

Himes, C. L., & Reynolds, S. L. (2006). The changing relationship between obesity and educational status. Gender Issues , (Spring), 45-57.

Crimmins, E. M., Alley, D., Reynolds, S. L. , Johnston , M. W., Karlamangla, A., & Seeman, T. (2005). Changes in biological markers of health: older Americans in the 1990s. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 60A, 1409-1413.

Reynolds, S. L., Saito, Y. & Crimmins, E. M. (2005). The impact of obesity on active life expectancy in older American men and women. The Gerontologist , 45, 438-444.

Reynolds, S. L ., & Schonfeld, L. (2004). Trends in elder abuse in Florida : An examination of the Florida Adult Protective Services data. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect , 1-22.

Addington, L., Reynolds, S. L., & Duska, R. F. (2004). Legal and ethical issues in financial gerontology. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 58(2), 25-29.

Reynolds, S. L. , & Silverstein, M. (2003). Observing the onset of disability in older adults. Social Science & Medicine, 57, 1875-1889.

Rosnick, C. B., & Reynolds, S. L. (2002). Thinking ahead: factors associated with executing advance directives. Journal of Aging & Health, 18, 409-429.

Haley , W. H., Gallagher-Thompson, D., Reynolds, S. L., Allen-Burge, R., Chen, H., & Burton , A. (2002). Family issues in end-of-life decision making and end-of-life care. American Behavioral Scientist, 46(2), 284-298.

Reynolds, S. L . (2002). Guardianship primavera: A first look at factors associated with having a legal guardian using a nationally representative sample. Aging & Mental Health, 6, 109-120.

Reynolds, S. L. & Carson, L. G. (1999). Dependent on the kindness of strangers: The role of professional guardians in Florida . Aging & Mental Health, 3, 301-310.

Reynolds, S. L. & Wilber, K. H. (1999). Correlates of open- and locked-facility placement in a population of decisionally impaired adults. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 54B, S349-S355.

Crimmins, E.M., Reynolds, S.L., & Saito, Y. (1999). Trends in health and ability to work among the older working age population. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 54B, S31-S40.

Reynolds, S.L. , Crimmins, E.M., & Saito, Y. (1998). Cohort differences in disability and disease. The Gerontologist, 38, 576-590.

Zelinski, E., Crimmins, E.M., Reynolds, S.L., & Seeman, T. (1998). Do medical conditions affect cognition in older adults? Health Psychology, 17, 504-512.

Crimmins, E. M., Saito, Y., & Reynolds, S. (1997) Further evidence on recent trends in the prevalence and incidence of disability among older Americans from two sources: the LSOA and the NHIS. The Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 52B, S59-71.

Reynolds, S. L. (1997). Criteria for placing older adults in public conservatorship: Age as proxy for need. The Gerontologist, 37, 518-526.

Reynolds, S. L. (1997). Protected or neglected: An examination of negative vs. compassionate ageism in public conservatorship. Research on Aging, 19(1), 3-25.

Reynolds, S. L ., & Wilber, K. H. (1997). Protecting persons with severe cognitive and mental disorders: An analysis of public conservatorship in Los Angeles County . Aging & Mental Health, 1(1), 87-97.

Wilber, K. H., & Reynolds, S. L. (1996). Introducing a framework for defining financial abuse of the elderly, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 8(2), 61-80.

Reynolds, S. L. (1995). Shedding new light on old dilemmas: A critical approach to protective interventions. Journal of Ethics, Law, and Aging, 1(2), 107-119.

Wilber, K. W., & Reynolds, S. L. (1995). Rethinking alternatives to guardianship. The Gerontologist, 35, 248-257.

Honors and Awards

2003: University of South Florida , Excellence in Teaching Award.

2002, April 11; Award for Excellence in Research, Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies, University of South Florida . Rosnick, C. B., & Reynolds, S. L., Thinking Ahead: Factors Associated with Executing Advance Directives.

2001, Elected Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America

1996, Recipient of the Heinz Osterberg Research Award, University of Southern California

Classes Taught

Undergraduate:

Introduction to Gerontology
Public Policy Analysis
Business Management in an Aging Society
Sociocultural Aspects of Aging
Death & Dying

Graduate:

Interdisciplinary Doctoral seminar
Population and Aging
The Aging Family
Gerontological Research and Planning
Gerontological Concepts and Issues
Social Policy and Aging
Geriatric Rotation for Second Year Medical Students (participant)
Sociological Aspects of Aging
Women & Aging